Leveler debochle!!! (1 Viewer)

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Reno, Nevada
Kind of a funny story. SH*T ALWAYS hits the fan BEFORE a big trip!!!
Leaving for the Blotch run on THURSDAY. So..Ive been wanting to install a leveler kit in the taco. 140 bucks through summit, all it is is a little spacer that goes on the coil over/ strut, HOW HARD CAN IT BE!?!?!?! should be able to bang it out in a couple hours cuz Im a "BUILDER"!!!!:rolleyes:
Well, get everything torn down without ANY HELP from the s*** ASS instructions that are supplied with the kit only to find out that its TOO TIGHT of a fit and is causing stress on the brake lines! Well crap! Put it back together and be done with it, right?!
Well, while trying to separate the uppper ball joint, I tore the dust boot. Its Sat. I called Toyota, they have a "boot" kit, but they have to order it, it should be here by Tuesday..."great..pleanty of time." Set up an appointment to have Les Schwab install the leveler kit which they agreed to install the boot as well.... Then TOYOTA calls back..."UMMMM....I wont be able to get it till MAYBE WEDNESDAY!" FAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWK!!!!!
Mean while...Im feeling like a COMPLETE DUMB ASS for NOT having Les Schwab do this in the first place. For them to do it, SUPPLY THE KIT and do an alignment is 298 bucks out the door!!!!
What I learned from this experience....DONT use a pickle fork where there is a dust boot if you plan on needing it, Have a FSM BEFORE you dive into crap you dont know about, Check around for prices to have someone ELSE do the work to your DD!
There is a WHOLE DIFFERENT level of stress that comes when the truck HAS TO RUN BY MONDAY to get you to work. It suddently becomes NOT FUN! Weird how that works.

Hope this all works out by Thursday! Dont really wanna run Death Valley without a dust boot on that upper ball joint. I really appreciate solid axles after this experience...they ARE much simpler.
 
Summit has some of the prothane dust boots. In fact I have one I haven't installed yet if you want to use it and buy me one later - I have other projects at the moment so this might buy you some time.
 
Summit has some of the prothane dust boots. In fact I have one I haven't installed yet if you want to use it and buy me one later - I have other projects at the moment so this might buy you some time.

Thanks for the offer, but I ordered one from Toyota...If it doesnt arrive by Wed. Ill be scramblin, but Ill wait for the time being to see if things fall into place.

How do those affix to the joint? Do you use a wire or something?

Thanks for the offer!

Keith
 
10 wraps of black electrical tape usually does the trick for my broken dust boots. Not the best, but it will get the job done.
 
10 wraps of black electrical tape usually does the trick for my broken dust boots. Not the best, but it will get the job done.

HAHAHA!
I was thinking about this for a quick fix if the whole thing (scenario) falls apart, which if we get that storm theyre talking about, it could. The part is coming from LA area, so...
FAWKING WEATHER!
 
I was actually think you might try shoe goo, just clean the hell out of the rubber with alcohol first.
 
I was actually think you might try shoe goo, just clean the hell out of the rubber with alcohol first.

THAT is a GREAT IDEA!!!!!!!!!!!:bounce::bounce2:
There is a pretty good chance with this storm blowing in that the part WONT make it here on time, so...That is what I will do for sure!
The way the boot is split, its at the bottom in two places, so its not like tore in half or anything....

I knew that I keep you around for something!:D:flipoff2:
 
THAT is a GREAT IDEA!!!!!!!!!!!:bounce::bounce2:
There is a pretty good chance with this storm blowing in that the part WONT make it here on time, so...That is what I will do for sure!
The way the boot is split, its at the bottom in two places, so its not like tore in half or anything....

I knew that I keep you around for something!:D:flipoff2:

Admit it you really just keep me around to make yourself look more buff.
Nothing like a fat, flabby, balding old man with glasses to make you look good.


Shouldn't you be at the gym?:flipoff2:
 
Admit it you really just keep me around to make yourself look more buff.
Nothing like a fat, flabby, balding old man with glasses to make you look good.


Shouldn't you be at the gym?:flipoff2:

HAHAHAHA!
I had been there and finished at the gym by the time I wrote that!
Dont be so hard on yourself...youre a PRIME specimen!
 
I was actually think you might try shoe goo, just clean the hell out of the rubber with alcohol first.

I read about shoe goo the other day on ExPo too. I thought it was genius.
 
Up at 0430...The day before the run to Death Valley.
Managed to get the day off HOPING that this stupid boot will make it in today, and allowing a lot of play for any last minute issues that will come up.
According to toyota...it should be here around 9 or 10....If not...SHOE GOO it is!
 
HAHAHAHA!
I had been there and finished at the gym by the time I wrote that!
Dont be so hard on yourself...youre a PRIME specimen!
I agree, if by prime you mean well marbled. I'm pretty sure in a Donner party scenario I'd be one of the first to go. :flipoff2:
 
Up at 0430...The day before the run to Death Valley.
Managed to get the day off HOPING that this stupid boot will make it in today, and allowing a lot of play for any last minute issues that will come up.
According to toyota...it should be here around 9 or 10....If not...SHOE GOO it is!
Hope this works itself out for you.
 
GOT IT!!!!:bounce::bounce2:

Appointment to have the leveler kit installed at 1500!


Not really liking some of the service people over at that place....
Its no wonder I try to work on my own junk!
 
ALL IS GOOD!:bounce::bounce2:

BLOTCH ON!:steer::beer:

K
 
Back from Death Valley....
GREAT FRIGGIN TRIP! We go BLASTED by the winds on the first night at the Olancha dunes. 30+ MPH out there. We'd get little breaks for an hour at a time, but it SUCKED.
The winds continued on into the next day.
Fri. we headed over to Ballarat and proceeded up S.Park. I was a little nervous as to how the Tacoma would fair being basically stock going up that run...NEVER missed a beat. The gearing from the factory is surprisingly low. Crawled everything I pointed it at, nice and stable and nimble. Very Impressed. I did have to choose my lines much more carfully than I did on the Blotch rig (duh), but it was great.
We had a FLOUNDER rig with us this trip...We called it the "white whale", and 85 chevy blazer full size. Really had no business being out there as it was just bought and brought. The 4WD wasnt engaging, old tires NOTHING but PROBLEMS with it. We basically had to ram it and drag it up the trail, NIGHTMARE....When we finally got it down back to Ballarat, the PS front hub was SMOKED. Threw some H2O on it and it sizzled. The owner was instructed NOT to drive it, leave it and get it towed. He wasnt very happy about that, but...
From there we b lined up to Saline Valley rd. and headed down into the springs. It was WONDERFULLY WARM. 90 deg...beautiful. Had a nice eve at the springs, getting festive with the adult beverages...then the WIND picked up again and blew us out. Continued all the way through till I got home. A friend and I took N pass out of the valley. Never been that way before, so I got to see something new. Despite the wind and the problems with the WHALE it was a GREAT TRIP!

Cant wait till next year!
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The last pic here, you can see the wind was HOWLING!
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Few more!
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